Railway car coupler having means to prevent vertical disengagement



Jan. 19, 1954 F. H. KAYLER RAILWAY CAR COUPLER HAVING MEANS TO PREVENTVERTICAL DISENGAGEMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 21, 1951 Han/ H j'giig r Jan. 19, 1954 F. H. KAYLER RAILWAY CAR COUPLER HAVING MEANS TOPREVENT VERTICAL DISENGAGEMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 21, 1951INVENTOR. Emd flfii jer Jan. 19} 1954 KAYLER 2,666,533 RAILWAY CARCOUPLER HAVING MEANS -TO PREVENT VERTICAL DISENGAGEMENT Filed Feb. 21,1951 5 SheetSSheet 4 INVENTOR.

71 0b fiiggler Jan. 19, 1954 F. KAYLER 2,666,533

RAILWAY CAR COUPLER HAVING MEANS TO PREVENT VERTICAL DISENGAGEMENT FiledFeb. 21, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I A v/ ZZZ INVENTOR. T312111? ff ffaalerPatented Jan. 19, 1954 RAILWAY CAR COUPLER HAVING MEANS TO PREVENTVERTICAL DISENGAGEMENT Frank H. Kayler, Alliance, Ohio, assignor toAmerican Steel Foundries, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New JerseyApplication February 21, 1951, Serial No. 212,110

Claims. 1

This invention relates to railway car couplers and more particularlytoautomatically operated knuckle type couplers such as are recognized asstandard equipment by the Association of American Railroads, or as usedin some foreign countries which have adopted the knuckle type ofcoupler.

A primary object of the invention is to prevent accidental uncouplingresulting fro-m relative vertical movement between mated coupler heads.

'Another object of' the invention is to prevent vertical separation bymeans adaptable to knuckle type couplers having certain special featuresof design, and also to provide an eificient design of interlock shelfwith minimum obstruction to cleaning operations in the finishing ofcoupler castings.

Another object of the invention is to facilitate coupling of couplerswhich are at different levels.

A further object of the invention is to reinforce the throat of acoupler head at the midpoint between its guard arm and knuckle pivotcars.

A more specific object of the invention is to devise a novel couplerhead having a shelf underlying its throat, said shelf having one or morelevels or ledges engageable with the knuckle of a mating coupler tofacilitate coupling and to prevent accidental uncoupling.

Another object of the invention is to devise an arrangement such asabove described wherein relative vertical and vertical angling movementsbetween the mated couplers are accommodated.

Still another object of the invention is to arrange the forward edge ofthe coupler head shelf in a vertical plane approximately tangential tothe pivot openings in the coupler head ears, and to'connect the shelfbetween the bottom ear and the coupler front face at a pointapproximating the point of tangency of the flat front face portion withthe base radius of the guard arm, thereby affording maximum strength forsupport of the nose of a mated coupler knuckle and accommodating allpositions of mated couplers.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the, invention willbecome apparent from a consideration of the following specification andthe accompanying. drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan-view of mated coupler heads embodying apreferred form of the invention, theheads being shown in extremeposition of horizontal angling;

H Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 11, underbufling conditions;

2 Figure 3 is a top plan view similar to Figure 2 but showing themechanism under pulling conditions;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 with bothcouplers shown in condition of maximum upward angling;

' Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to that of Figure 4, but showingthe couplers level under conditions of maximum vertical ofiset;

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary front elevational view of one of the couplersshown in Figure-l; Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view takenon the line 8--8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the couplers 7 shown in Figure 1 during acoupling operation;

Figure 10 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 9partly in section on the line |0|0 thereof and showing the couplersunder conditions of maximum vertical offset:

Figures 11 to 17 illustrate a modification of the invention, Figure 11being a bottom lan view comparable to Figure 1, Figure 12 being a topplan view comparable to Figure 2, Figure 13 being a top plan viewshowing the mechanism under pulling conditions such as those shown inFigure 3, Figure 14 being a sectional view on the line M-I4 of Figure 13with both couplers shown in condition of maximum upward angling, Figure15 being a sectional view similar to that of Figure 14 but showing thecouplers level under conditions of maximumvertical offset, Figure 16being a fragmentary front elevational View of one of the couplers shownin Figure 11, and Figure 17 being a fragmentary side elevational viewtaken on the line l'l-Il of Figure 16.

Describing the invention in detail and referring first to the embodimentthereof illustrated in Figures 1 to 10 inclusive, mated couplers aregenerally designated in Figure 1 as I and'2 respectively. Each couplercomprises a head 3 having a guard arm 4 at one side thereof, and havingtop and bottom ears 6 and 8 at the opposite side thereof. A knuckle IDof each coupler extends between its ears 6 and 3 and is pivoted theretoby a pin l4. Each head also comprises a throat is between its guard armi and its pivot pin 14, the throat having a contour complementary to andengageable with a nose l8 of the mating coupler knuckle i0 when thecouplers are subjected to bufiing forces, as illustrated in Figure 2 andas is well known to those skilled in the art. It may be noted that theabove described construction is conventional and is thus said pin. Theforward edge of the shelf 20 extends linearly along this plane fromitsjuncture with the bottom ear 8 of thefcoupler headto :a point in theregion of the guard arm 4 and then curves forwardly at 2| (Figure1)'tomerge with the bottom of the guard arm. The rear" edge of the shelf20 is connected to a web or leg 22 depending from the bottom ofthe.coupler; 1 6. 51

and extending arcuately from beneath the bottom ear 8 followingapproximately thecontour of the throat It to theforward edge ofthe guardarm lfaswillbefbst' underst'ood'by acompa'rison ofFig ures 1,4 and 7;andthe shelf '20 is reinforced by a rib depending therefrom and havifiga segment 25' extending diagonally with respecttothe longitudinalvertical center plane of the coupler head. The rib segment 25"extendsacross the "shelf beneath the throat l6 approximat'ely"m'idwaybetweenthe merger of thethroat with the guard. arm land the merger of the'throat'withthe pivot ears '6 and 8. The ribsegment 25 is connected toan angularly related rib segment 261 which extends along the forwardedgeof'shelf 20 and merges with the bottom ear 8. Each shelf 20 isadapted tounderlie the knuckle H] of a mated coupler, as clearly shownin Figure l .lgwherein it will be seenthat the shelves 20 of therespective couplers I and 2"underlie each other's knuckles Hl'und'erconditions of maximum angling. Figures 2 and 3 illustrate conditions ofmaximum buff and pulling, respectively,: and Figure 5 illustrates themanner in whichthe shelf 201'oficoupler 2 engages'the knuckle H] ofcoupler tunderpulling conditions" and maximum vertical offset indicatedat A' in Figure 5. V .HFigureA illustrates both couplers l and 2 maposition of extreme upward angling and it will belseeniinthis figurethat the upper rear edges of] the knuckles") contact each other and the.,.1ower.,forward edges of the knuckles in contact .lihefrontfacesofthemating coupler heads at 28 thereby limiting (such, upwardangling without contact, betweentheforward edges of the shelves 2,0thereby preventing damage thereto. It will also be apparentthat under acombination of vertical offset, as in Figure 5, with vertical angling,as in Figure 4, the limiting. contact of the lowerknuckle II! will, beagainst the web 22 of;the related shelf 20. Inasmuch as the webs 22 areset back from the, faces 28," increased angling, is permitted underthese conditions, but clearance is still maintained between the adjacentfaces of the. shelves 20.

Each shelf 20, as best seen in Figure 7 and in the illustration ofcoupler 2 in Figure Q, comprises an 'upper ledge or level 39 andjalsocomprises, a loyverledge or level 3| connected by a, sloping diagonalwall or surface 32 to the upper ledge .30 alongtheforwarded e of therihse finlll t The ledge extends at an angle to'the longitudinalvertical center plane of the coupler and joins the throat lB at a pointinwardly of the juncture of. the throat with theguard arm, and {thesloping surface 32, as best seen in Figure 9, extends" to a pointbeneath the throat [5 at approximatelythe' tangent pointof the flat faceof the tli'roat'tothebase radius'of the guard arm 4.

aecarsea a coupling operation.

It will be readily understood, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, that as thecouplers are coupled or, mated the knuckle nose [8 of the coupler lwhichis'lower"than'the coupler 2, slides up the slopingw'all"or surface32 of the coupler 2 and i 's'eatson'the upper ledge or level 30 toengage the throat 1610f coupler 2 and complete the coupling operationas' shown in Figure 2.

.F i gures 11 tol'? illustrate a modification of the invention whereinparts corresponding to those of thepividusly described embodiment areillustrated by corresponding numerals. It will be noted that in themodification the shelf 2pis a one level structure which, as best seen inFigures 11 to 13, is adapted to underlie the nose I8'of the matedcoupler in all positions of horizontal anlin /pu n andhll s r Theextremeforwardedge of the shelf20 is in a plane approximately tangentialto the coupler head pivot pinancl itscomplementary openings injthe earse and 8 The forward edge of shelf 20 extends at anangle tothis plane tothe throat l 6;joining the eb} 2 therebeneath at apointinwardly of thejuncture of the throat 'with 'the guard arm 4, approxi mately beneaththe tangent point of the flat face of the throat it to the'baseradiusoftheguard arm V The. ea e 9f i he h lf. cbnficfid, the web or leg22 depending from the bottom of the coupler head; and extendingarcuately from beneath the bottoni ears following approximately thecontour of the throat It to the end of the shelf 2|], aswillbest'be'understo'od by a comparison ofFig ures 1 1, "l4' and 17; and theshelf 20 is reinforced by a rib '24 depending therefromand having asegment 25 extending diagonally along the edge of the shelf 20' whichfasabove noted,

extends diagonallyiwith respect to the longitudinal vertical center-pla'neof the coupler head. U The rib'segment 25 exterids" along theedge of the shelf 20 beneath thethroat l6 approximately midway betweenthe'longitudinal center plane of thecoupler head andt'he merger ofthe'front face of the throat I 6 'withthe guard arm base -radius.

Figure 14 illustrates both couplers l and 2 in a position'ofextremeupward angling, and it will beHseen-in this figure'that the uppermanages of theknuckles llfcontact each other and the lower forward edgesof the'knuckles l0 contact the front.facesof theflinating coupler headsat 2 8 thereby limitingfs'uch upward ahgling' without contactbtiveentheforward edges of the shelves 20, therebyjpreventing damagethereto. It will be apparent that under a combinationfof vertical offsetas in' Figure 14 with vertical angling'as in Figure 15 the limiting.contact. of the knu ckleill shown at'the right'in Figure 15' Will'beagainst the web Ref-12h? Shelf 20, and the web being set back from theface 2 {permits increased angling while maintainingf clearance betweenthe outer faces of the'shelves 20 g I As shown in Figuresll, l6 and 17each knuckle l0 isprovided 'opithe underside thereof with a lug 50 forreception'of one end 52 of a c'oil torsion spring'54 'po'sitioned'aroundthe lower end of the pivot p in i 4 The other end 56 ofthe isweb""22'of'theshelf'whereby the spring is mainsaeeeysee tained undertorsipn tending to throw the knuckle It to its open'position. 1

It will be apparent fromreferencejto the various figures of themodification that thisdesignof shelf provides satisfactory interlock byvoverlap of the shelf with the nose of the knuckle and affords amplestrength by providing a reinforcing rib directly beneath the pointof'load while still maintaining proper clearance for full anglingof aknuckle incorporating ator'sion spring lug."

I claim:

1. A railway coupler head comprising knuckle pivot means and aguard'arm, said head havin a throat between the pivot means and guardarm, and a shelf carried by said head beneath the level of the guard armand throat and projecting forwardly of the throat, said shelf comprisinga rib depending therefrom and extending diagonally across the verticalcenter plane of the head beneath the mid point of the throat.

2. A railway coupler head according to claim 1, wherein the shelfcomprises an upper surface, the forward edge of which is defined by saidrib, said shelf comprising a surface sloping downwardly from said ribtoward the guard arm.

3. A railway coupler head according to claim 1, wherein the shelfcomprises an upper substantially horizontal surface, a lowersubstantially horizontal surface, and a surface sloping downwardly fromthe upper surface and connectin the latter to the lower surface.

4. A railway coupling comprising mated couplers, each having a couplerhead with a knuckle engaged with a knuckle of the mated coupler alongapproximately vertical surfaces of said knuckles accommodating relativevertical movement between said knuckles during relative verticalmovement of the heads, each head having a throat extending from itsknuckle beyond its longitudinal center line and adapted to engage theknuckle of the other head, a substantially vertical web depending fromeach head and offset rearwardly from its throat, and a shelf connectedto the web and underlying the knuckle of the other head and spacedtherebelow a distance less than the knuckle depth, the lower forwardedges of the knuckles being engageable with the throats above the websof respective heads during interengagement of the upper rear edges ofthe knuckles under conditions of extreme upward angling of both couplersunaccompanied by relative vertical offset therebetween.

5. A railway coupler comprising a head, a knuckle pivoted thereto, aguard arm, said head having athroat between the knuckle and guard arm,and a shelf carried. by said head beneath the level of the guard arm andthroat and projecting forwardly of the throat, said shelf comprising anapproximately vertical rib depending therefrom and extending diagonallyacross the vertical center plane of the head beneath the mid point ofthe throat, said shelf having an upper level, the forward edge of whichis aligned with the forward edge of the rib.

6. A railway coupler according to claim 5, wherein the shelf comprises asurface sloping downwardly from said upper level toward the uard arm.

'7. A railway coupler according to claim 6, wherein the lower edge ofsaid downwardly sloping surface is connected to a substantiallyhorizontal surface of said shelf, said last mentioned surface partiallyunderlying the guard arm.

8. A railway coupler head having top and bottom knuckle pivot cars atone side thereof and having a guard arm at the other side there-:.-of;s'aid head having a throat extending from :the .ears to the guardarm, and a shelf integrally .:formed.with the head beneath-the level ofthe throat and projecting forwardly thereof, said shelf comprising adepending rib. extending diagonally. across the vertical center plane ofthe head :beneath the mid-point of. the throat.

. 9; A railway coupler head having top and bottom knuckle pivot ears atone side thereof and having a guard arm at the other side thereof,saidrhead having a throat extending from said ears to said guard arm andhaving a ledge beneath said throat, said ledge having a forward surfacedefining a vertical plane approximately tangential to the bottom ear,and said ledge having another forward surface defining a vertical planeapproximately tangential to a pin hole through the bottom car.

10. A railway coupler head having top and bottom knuckle pivot ears atone side thereof and having a guard arm at the other side thereof, saidhead having a throat extending from said lugs to said guard arm and saidhead having a rib beneath said throat integrally formed with andextending between the lower surface of the bottom ear and the lower edgeof the throat at a point on the throat approximating the point oftangency of the throat with the base radius of the guard arm.

11. A railway coupler head, according to claim 10, wherein the diagonalforward edge of the rib is disposed at an angle of between 30 and 40with respect to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the couplerhead.

12. A railway coupler head, according to claim 11, wherein the diagonalforward edge of the rib is so disposed that a straight line extendedalong this edge toward the bottom ear would pass outwardly of tangent tothe ear edge, a distance between one-third and one-fourth of the depthfrom the center of the pivot hole in the ear to the edge of the ear.

13. A railway coupler head having top and bottom knuckle pivot ears atone side thereof, said head having a guard arm at the other sidethereof, said head having a throat extending from said lugs to saidguard arm and having a ledge beneath said throat integrally formed withand extending between the lower surface of the bottom ear and the loweredge of the throat at a point on the throat spaced from the longitudinalvertical center plane of the coupler head a distance less than the pointof tangency of the throat with the base radius of the guard arm.

14. A railway coupler head having top and bottom knuckle pivot ears atone side thereof and having a guard arm at the other side thereof, saidhead having a throat extending from said lugs to said guard arm andhaving a substantially vertical web extending from the bottom ear andfollowing the contour of the throat across the longitudinal verticalcenter plane of the coupler head, a ledge carried by said web andprojecting forwardly beneath the throat, a knuckle having a portionbetween said ears, a pivot pin passing through aligned openings of saidportion and ears, a torsion spring sleeved over the lower end of saidpin, said spring having one end thereof anchored to the knuckle forresiliently urging the latter to open position thereof, and means onsaid web beneath the bottom ear anchoring the other end of said torsionspring.

15. A railway coupler head having top and bottom knuckle pivot ears atone side thereof and having a guard arm at the other side thereof.aligned pivot pin holes through said ears. said :amagusa a8 headzhav'ing a throat extending 'fromsaidjlugs *tosaid guard armandehavingia, dedgei beneath References 011785 In the lfi p fi i a ensaid throat integrally formed .Wifihand:exten'ding m STATES PATENTSbetween the lower surfaceofithezbottnm ear-and N N te 'the lower-edge ofthe threat, the :extremeionward 5 gag v ame i face of the ledge "beingsubstantially wtangential 33g g ff d with thefront-ofLiane1pivotpint'hd1e1;in:the bottom fi a 11909 ear, sa1d ledge havmg adlagonaleface:connected 22141, 718 Christianson Sept. T10, 1940 to saidforward face fbya iradialvr'section andzextending) th f th t 1:10 5 2: Mt u u 1.951

H. KAXLER.

